Muslim Teacher Alleges Biased Job Termination

April 28, 2005

Source: New York Daily News

http://www.nydailynews.com/boroughs/story/304200p-260346c.html

On April 28, 2005 the New York Daily News reported, "a long-time teacher who alleges she was fired because she is Muslim and refused to convert to Christianity yesterday demanded her job back during a protest outside the Woodside school where she worked for 11 years. Until she was terminated eight months ago, Shahensha Begum was an assistant teacher at the Rainbow Christian Preschool and Kindergarten, run by the Evangelical Lutheran Church. The church and school are at 72-01 43rd Ave.

Begum, 57, of Elmhurst, said that after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, some of her colleagues discriminated against her and labeled her a terrorist. Begum said that when she complained to the school's director, Cleide Willik Capelozza, the only response was that her workload became heavier."